HAS SUBMITTED TO THE MEMBER STATES THE PROPOSAL FOR A REGULATION FOR THE REFORM WHICH, IN THE CASE OF TOMATO, INCLUDES DOUBLE COMPENSATION.

The objective of the European Commission, textually, It's of “ensure that withdrawals are an effective instrument for the prevention and management of crises, which in the case of tomatoes includes as a novelty a double community compensation for withdrawal.
This week the European Commission presented to the Member States the proposal for a Regulation for the reform of crisis management measures and the entry price regime in the fruit and vegetables sector., to debate and vote in the Management Committee.

In the case of tomato, the Commission also, includes as a novelty a double community withdrawal compensation,ICR, differentiating between winter and summer tomatoes. The Commission establishes an ICR for the tomato 1 from June to 31 October of 7,25 euros per hundred kilos, while for tomatoes produced between 1 of November and 31 of May the ICR is 27,45 euros per hundred kilos and 18,30 euros per hundred kilos, depending on whether it is for free distribution or other destinations.

The Commission explains that “in order to avoid excessive compensation for tomatoes destined for processing that have a lower price, A differentiated quantity is established for tomatoes produced from 1 from June to 31 October, which is the period in which tomatoes intended for processing can be removed.”

The draft Regulation also includes as a novelty the establishment of two levels of community compensation for withdrawal depending on whether it is destined for free distribution or other destinations.. Withdrawal intended for free distribution has a higher aid amount, since the Commission intends to promote it. This is the case of cauliflower ICR, tomato, Apple, grapes, apricot, money, Eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, clementines and lemons. The draft Regulation also clarifies the definition of green harvesting and non-harvesting.

Regarding entry prices, The Commission explains that “in order to allow better tracking of shipments, The rules regarding the entry price system for fruits and vegetables must be modified”.

According to the national head of fruits and vegetables at COAG, Andres Gongora, We consider the fact that withdrawal prices are considerably increased as very positive., This will make it more attractive for producer organizations to decide to resort to crisis management mechanisms., not like until now, he added.

However, From COAG they describe the project to reform the regulation as a whole as insufficient. “We wish it had gone further”, Góngora commented, for whom only producers who are part of producer organizations will be able to benefit from crisis management mechanisms.

For our part, we support that similar mechanisms be extended to the 100% of fruit and vegetable farmers and that are not linked to the operating fund of producer organizations, Góngora added.

The Spanish Federation of Associations of Producers and Exporters of Fruits and Vegetables, FEPEX, considers urgent reform of market crisis management measures necessary in the face of the increasingly frequent succession of crises affecting a broad group of products. In the same context, the urgent reform of the entry price system must also be undertaken..

The community proposal also clarifies the definition of green harvesting and non-harvesting. Regarding entry prices, The EC has specified that “in order to allow better tracking of shipments, The rules regarding the entry price system for fruits and vegetables must be modified”. His plan raises new requirements for operators in order to have greater control of declared prices.

With the draft regulations presented, The EC has attempted to respond to the request for reforms requested by the Ministers of Agriculture of Spain, France and Italy to the Commissioner Dacian Ciolos. The three ministers presented a proposal to reform crisis management measures and entry prices, developed within the framework of the Mixed Spanish-French-Italian Committee to the Commissioner, who promised to present a draft Regulation in the following months.

Once the regulation has been debated and approved in the management committees, it will come into force on the seventh day after it is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities..